3 2 



THE FORESTER. 



February, 



and lands surrounding the Mediterranean 

 Sea, parts of Asia Minor and Austria 

 offer a most inviting region for research. 

 This is true not only from a forest stand- 

 point. Many trees are cultivated chiefly 

 for their economic value, as may be illus- 

 trated by a few examples. The Cork 

 Oak {Qiiercus suber), for instance, is one 

 of the most important forest trees in 

 southern Europe and Algeria, from the 

 bark of which cork, so universally used, 

 is manufactured. 



The culture of Oak forests is very profit- 

 able in spite of their yielding a crop only 

 about every eight years, but its especial 

 value arises from its thick bark, making it 

 impervious to fire, which so often destroys 

 the Pine forests of the south of Europe ; 

 and the plantation of belts of these trees is 

 recommended by French authorities as an 

 almost complete protection against the 

 spread of fire. I quote from Chas. Nau- 

 din's description: "The Cork Oak is 

 found in rocky ground, and it succeeds 

 even in the poorest and most arid land, re- 

 sisting long droughts and the extreme heat 

 of southern climates." 



Another tree suitable for covering our 

 foothills, and one likely to produce good 

 results and be of great economic value, is 

 the Saintjohn's bread ( Ceratonia siliqua}, 

 also native of Algeria and neighboring 

 countries. Dr. Masters states that Eng- 

 land alone imports annually one hundred 

 and eighty thousand tons of the pods from 

 the island of Crete. The pulp of the 

 pods is the chief ingredient probably of 

 much of the chocolate sold in America. It 

 is used there chiefly as cattle food. It has 

 been introduced into Spain and many 

 other countries. It grows in arid regions 

 with but little care, providing not only 

 food for the cattle, but shelter from the ex- 

 treme heat of the sun. 



The introduction of the Eucalyptus, I 

 may also mention, lias done much in 

 supplying a cheap fuel for the farmers of 

 these regions. Many species are admir- 

 ably adapted for covering our foothills. 

 Many Pines would probably succeed, 

 especially the Pinus tnbcrculata, native of 

 the neighboring mountains and alleged to 

 withstand fire. Pines, however, from 



their resinous nature, are probably ill- 

 adapted to regions exposed to forest fires, 

 unless divided by belts of fireproof timber. 



Our higher mountains, if carefully pro- 

 tected from cattle and fire, could probably 

 be left for many years to reforest them- 

 selves. But it is peculiarly the arid belt 

 of foothills extending to about 3000 

 feet covered in many places with Grease 

 Wood, and so peculiarly exposed to fire 

 from campers, hunters and small farmers, 

 that would be benefited by an arboretum. 

 With regard to an economic plant station 

 for the building up of new industries by 

 the introduction of new fruits and plants 

 suitable for culture under our climatic con- 

 ditions, the Department of Agriculture is 

 indeed doing much; but in preference to 

 reading through long bulletins or inaugu- 

 rating experiments which may prove costly 

 failures, the farmers and others interested 

 wish to see these trees and fruits growing, 

 and to be able to obtain plants or seeds of 

 them, for experiments. 



For this purpose the Department of 

 Agriculture should be provided with a 

 testing ground. An economic plant sta- 

 tion would furnish the opportunity for 

 securing such information as is desired. 

 Coffee trees grow in a few well sheltered, 

 protected districts. No doubt, in many 

 places in our State, tea plants would 

 flourish, probably here on north exposures 

 protected from wind. We need a berry 

 to take the place of gooseberries, etc., for 

 culture in semi-arid regions. Some species 

 of Giiava or Eugenia would undoubtedly 

 answer this purpose. From the various 

 species of Anona some peculiarly hardy 

 variety could be selected, and the industry 

 of shipping East this delicious fruit might 

 be inaugurated. The Soapberry {Sapi- 

 diisntiUs}^ which is now attracting con- 

 siderable attention for culture in Algeria, 

 might also prove profitable here. But it 

 is unnecessary to continue the long list of 

 economic plants which are capable of be- 

 ing cultivated in these regions and which 

 would so help build up the agricultural 

 possibilities of this magnificent portion of 

 America. 



The public have not the time or the 

 knowledge to hunt out individual trees 



